Be of Good Cheer

It seems that all around us, all restraints are being removed from society. Humility, decency, honor, integrity, morality…..attributes that are necessary for a free society to flourish. They are woefully absent in our society today. I can really get wrapped up in current events events if I’m not careful, especially in politics. Although I don’t get as immersed in this as I have in the past, I still have to take a ‘news break’ (a break from the news) occasionally. I get so frustrated sometimes because the world seems upside down. Right is called wrong and wrong is called right. Those who present an opposing view are ridiculed or branded as bigoted and hateful, especially if their basis is scripture.

I have to stop and realize that the frustration and negativity come from having my focus in the wrong place. I get too tied in to the world and it’s ways. Society today is governed primarily by ‘natural’ or lost people. They think they have all the answers, unfortunately they do not have the truth. Paul tells us they are “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Ti 3:7). He gives a description in 2 Timothy chapter 3 of men’s behavior in the last days. It sounds very much like our world today.

Oh, what a blessing that we do have the truth. John rejoiced to find the elect lady’s children walking in truth. We can find many precious truths in the words of Christ. For example, Joh 14:27 tells us “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Even in these times, we can have peace if we walk in truth. One of the truths that helps me most is to remember that Jesus has already won the battle and that we can say with Job “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth;”. As Jesus himself told us in John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”